The Viewer Takes Charge in the Polk Museum of Art’s Novel “What’s the Story?: Art in Search of a Narrative” Exhibition

Lakeland, FL (September 29, 2020) – This Fall, the Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College presents an exciting original exhibition entitled What’s the Story? Art in Search of a Narrative. On view beginning Saturday, October 10, 2020 to January 17, 2021, the Museum has designed this unique exhibition to encourage viewers to become active storytellers, empowering them to imagine their own narratives for the works on display.

Many times when visitors step into a museum, they are presented with an exhibition that has a “definitive” perspective, a story delivered to them by the show’s curators. In contrast, What’s the Story? asks visitors to take the reins and to envision the unwritten stories in works of art with open-ended narratives. 

“When visitors step into our galleries to view What’s the Story?, they will be encouraged to rely on their own unique set of observation skills, invited to see works of art through the prism of their own personal experiences and inventive minds,” states Dr. Alex Rich, Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Museum. “Figurative paintings, photographs, drawings, and even sculptures give us spectacular glimpses at moments forever frozen in time. And often, artists leave it up to us to fill in the rest of the blanks.”

Featuring more than forty works from the Museum’s permanent collection, this show places each viewer into the essential role of narrator, providing novel answers to the questions the art itself poses but can never reveal.

“When we were selecting the art for the exhibition, we were looking for unusual expression or an odd scene in the image, something to make you question and wonder,” explains Loren Plunkett Hicks, Collections Manager and Registrar. “This exhibition is a great exercise in creative thinking. You really have to look beyond the surface of the image, and I would really encourage visitors to ask questions and be curious. The best part is there is no right or wrong answer, just your own interpretation.” 

Grounded in the idea that the stories we tell shape the ways we see ourselves, others, and the world around us, the Museum hopes visitors will seize the opportunity to look closely at these works, using the clues provided by their artists to imagine the unseen backstories within them and appreciate the quintessential beauty of open-ended art. 

Admission to this exhibition is free and will be available for viewing in the Museum’s Dorothy Jenkin's Gallery and Gallery II on the first floor. For more information, please visit https://polkmuseumofart.org/exhibitions/whatsthestory. For questions regarding virtual exhibition-related programs, contact Taylor Holycross at 863-688-7743 ext. 249 or tholycross@polkmuseumofart.org.